July 6
When I got ready to go flying the first thing I did was fill my new camelback with water. It was kind of hard to use, and I spilled a lot of water out of it that should have gone in it, but I got it figured out.
Then I had to struggle into the straps—they had to be all the way loose so I could get my forelegs through, then I had to pull them tight. They had a clever kind of plastic tab so that once they were tight they didn't loosen until you pulled them at an angle, which was a lot nicer than the arrangement on the buckle of my saddlebags.
The vest went over that and I felt kind of hunchbacked when it was on. It was weird seeing it stick that far up out of the corner of my eye. And I guess that must be how it got its name, ‘cause it did kind of look like a camel’s hump.
I put on my light and radio, but I left my altimeter behind. I was planning to do a low flight out to the nature park and then alternate groundwork with bits of flying, just to keep my wings limber without putting too much stress on them from the long flight yesterday.
One thing I'd found was fun to do was to jump-gilde off the balcony and pick up some airspeed as I went under my tree. I had to be careful, though, 'cause it was hard to see if there were any cars coming. Luckily, not too many of them went down my road that didn't live on it.
I waved as I flew over a pair of children riding their bicycles across Westnedge Ave., but they didn't see me, and then I cut a little bit diagonally so that I could land in the open field at the nature center which was by the railroad tracks.
There's a big pasture full of tasty-smelling pasture grasses but I'd already been told I wasn't allowed to eat it so it was kind of unfair that there was a small herd of deer right in the middle of it. But I guess if it was their food, it wouldn't be nice of me to take it. They didn't have anyone to take them to Meijer.
I dropped down and skimmed along the trail, going in and out of treeshadow. Then I flared out my wings and made a trotting landing, and just kept up the pace with my hooves on the ground.
I did a lap and a half, and when I crested the ridge I broke into a gallop on the downside and when I was about halfway down I snapped out my wings and with a couple of strong beats the ground was falling away from me.
While I circled, I reached up with a hoof and put the straw from the camelback in my mouth and had a drink, and I decided that this was one of the best things humans had invented. I could work myself a little bit harder and not have to worry about getting too thirsty.
Overall, I did about ten laps on the ground and another five in the air, and I felt like I'd worked just about every muscle on my body. So I did a victorious wing-roll, yawped (but not too loud 'cause the deer were still there) and flew back home.
The clouds that were forming overhead promised some rain, but I didn't think that there would be too much of it. Cyndi had predicted less than an inch, and now that the weather was actually coming here, I thought that was optimistic—there wouldn’t even be a half inch.
I stopped at my apartment long enough to get the birdseed I'd bought from Meijer for Aric's feeder. I hadn't taken it over there yesterday even though I probably should have. But it had been late.
The stupid bag was really heavy when it was full, and it was super awkward to fly with it clenched in my forehooves, and by the time I was halfway there I started to worry that I might drop it.
I made it there with it and I landed on the roof of the garage and tore the corner off so that I could dump it in the bird feeder and then I remembered that there were still some seeds in the garage and I ought to have used those first but it was too late now.
I left it up there while I opened the top of the feeder, and then I flew back, carefully grabbed it and spilled a bunch of seeds on the roof anyway, but then I had better luck at the feeder and hardly spilled any in the grass.
I put the bag in the garage, next to the one that was mostly empty, and went back outside to make sure that the birdfeeder was still working like it was supposed to. And it was; I got a mouthful of sunflower seeds out of it.
Angela was in the kitchen so I waved at her and she opened the window and thanked me for filling the feeder. And she said that I looked really sweaty, and I said it was 'cause I'd been trotting and flying all morning. Then I waved goodbye and went back to my apartment for a shower.
The new shower mat was really nice. My hooves weren't so cloppy on the bathtub floor, and it also kept me from skidding at all.
I shook off and then went out in the living room and looked out the windows. I wasn't going to be drying off outside, 'cause it was raining now.
I put a towel down on the futon and set another alongside it and got my Bible and stretched out, put the second towel over my back, and started reading Job.
Well, I didn't like it too much. In a strange way, it kind of reminded me of The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Right at the beginning all kind of bad things happened to Job, and then his friends weren't much comfort to him, either. They said that the only reason bad things were happening to him was because he'd sinned but he said that he hadn't. Then he asked where wisdom could be found, and decided that God had hidden it from them.
Then Job said all the good things he'd done and demanded that God talk to him, and I kind of thought that was a bad idea. I was pretty sure that all the Israelites knew what had happened to other proud people who questioned God.
And then when God came in a whirlwind, I thought he was just going to strike down Job. But He didn't. He asked Job where he was when the world was created and who made all the wild beasts and who could tame the Leviathan, and it sounded a little braggy, even if it was true. When He was done, he had Job's friends make sacrifices, and then he restored to Job everything that he had taken away twofold.
So I kinda wasn't sure what to think of it. If Job was so good all along, why did so many bad things happen to him? Did God not care? Or was He too busy with other stuff and didn't have time for Job until Job came to confront Him?
I thought I'd have to ask Pastor Liz about that on Thursday.
Then I remembered that I was planning to go to the salon with Meghan on Thursday, so I sent a telephone telegram to Pastor Liz asking if we could meet sooner.
I ate lunch and then sat in the papasan and watched the birds for a little bit. The rain had stopped and so they were back, making up for lost time.
Then my telephone rang and when I answered, it was Meghan and she said that she was really, really sorry but she had to bail on me tonight because her idiot of a boss had scheduled a mandatory dinner meeting and was confused why no one was happy because they’d be eating dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and the company would pay for it.
So I told her I understood—I’d had to change plans real fast in Equestria a couple of times when there was a ship in trouble or a storm that went out of control—and at least we still had the salon appointment tomorrow. Then, since I suddenly didn’t have any evening plans, I got the Bible back out and looked at the next book. Maybe it’d be happier.
Well, it was called Psalms and they were like little poems. The first ones were about seeking salvation in the Lord, and some of them said that they were supposed to have stringed instruments, so I thought that maybe once upon a time people sang or chanted them and that would be interesting to hear. There were hymns that we'd sung in church, and maybe some of them were in the Psalms.
I read through the first twenty, and then I put my Bible away for the day. I'd heard a car come in and then the downstairs door open and so I thought it was time that I introduced myself to my downstairs neighbor.
So I flew out the balcony and around and knocked on her door and I heard the clicking of her shoes and then she muttered something but didn't open the door.
I knocked again and I heard her mutter something and then she yanked the door open and looked around over my head and then took a step forward and almost tripped over me.
She looked up and down the driveway and then I said hello and she shrieked and pinned my ears back. Then she covered her mouth and crouched down and held out her hand and so I stuck out my hoof and told her I was Silver Glow and I was the pony who lived upstairs.
She was really pretty—she had dark creamy skin and long dark hair that was held back with a headband. She said that her name was Quinn, which was short for something so ethnic I'd never be able to wrap my tongue around it, and she said she'd kind of wondered who was living upstairs because it sounded like there was a herd of donkeys at all hours of the day and night.
I told her that I'd just gotten a mat for the bathtub so I wouldn't slip and it would make my hooves quieter and she said that was considerate of me.
Then she said that she hadn't thought that anyone would rent the apartment after the old tenant had left suddenly and I asked why, and she shrugged and said he'd gotten arrested back in March and that was all she knew.
I could kind of tell by her look that she knew more than that, but I didn't ask for any more details.
She said that she'd like to talk for longer, but she was between jobs right now and she wanted to take a shower and put her heels up for a little bit before she had to go back out. So I shook her hand again and went back around to my balcony and thought about what I could do for the rest of the evening.
I wanted to know where the farmer's market was, even though I didn't need any food yet. So I filled up my camelback again and put it back on, and then I got my saddlebags too because sometimes at the end of the day farmers sell leftover stuff really cheap so that they don't have to take it home with them again.
Which meant I had to take my camelback off again, because I couldn't put the saddlebags on top of it.
The farmer’s market wasn't that hard to find. It was southeast of the downtown, and right next to a park that had a big outdoor swimming pool. I was right; it was too late to get any food although there were a few people still there, putting the last things into their trucks and vans. So I didn't land, but I circled around it and then I flew back home.
I had a late supper and then I decided that I ought to write a letter back to Gusty, congratulating her on her role and maybe bragging a little bit that I was on TV too. And I wanted to reassure her that I was coming to see her in Stratford. And I told her about riding horses and I asked if she'd seen any and how close she'd gotten to them.
Then right at the end I thought about asking her about Cayenne and I kind of thought about that for a while. It was kind of rude to end a letter asking about somepony else, and if she wasn't sending letters to Gusty, either, maybe it would be unfriendly to remind her. But on another hoof, maybe she was busy and just didn't have time. So I kinda compromised by not asking specifically about Cayenne but instead saying that this coming weekend me and Aquamarine were going to Bay City to see sailing ships.
When I'd finished up the letter I opened my balcony door and let the gentle wind blow in and it also brought a wayward sparrow who hopped in through the door and then he looked around at where he was and I guess he knew that he wasn't supposed to be inside, 'cause he flew up to go back out but he wasn’t all that smart and bumped into the window a few times before he finally found the door.
He'd left me a little present on the floor, too, so I had to get out of the papasan and clean it up before it dried.
After the birds had mostly flown off for the evening, I closed the door and turned on my computer and wrote a computer letter to Aric. I could see that he hadn't said anything on Facebook for over a week, which probably meant he was really busy with theatre stuff. But maybe he'd get a chance to read my letter when he wasn't, even if it took a couple of days.
I had a lot to tell him about. I thought he'd like to hear about me riding a horse, and I also told him about being an assistant weatherperson, and I also told him when I was going to be gone so that he'd know. And I told him that I'd gone to a barbeque with David and Angela, and that Meghan was teaching me to cook, and I told him that I'd gotten a camelback which was really nice to have and that I missed him and hopefully we'd see each other again before too long.
Then after I turned off my computer I got in my futon without folding it down and lay down with my back against it and my forelegs around a pillow and thought that I ought to have Meghan sleep over after I do laundry.
And then the police happened.
After Silver returns home, I bet the makers of the camelback suddenly wind up with an export contract to Equestria.
I was wondering when the downstairs neighbor would mention all the noise.
She's going to have to buy slippers.
7545043
Probably low enough if there's at least 1 agent for 1 pony. Miss Cherilyn definitely feel more like a liaison person instead of protective service.
7545071 Since there's only four named, probably... four?
7545089
Maybe. Until Admiral Biscuit confirms or clarify it.
7545093 True. On the other hand, you'd think there would at least be a reference to "the others" or "the High School ponies" or "the ones in England (or wherever)" by now - it HAS been 198 chapters.
At teh rate Silver is going with picking up gear,e ven before shopping, shes going to end up towing a Whinneybaygo around with her.
Due to the door eyeholes, maybe she needs to find the downwards pointing arrow on a stick in the ACME catalog.
New neighbor downstairs? Will she take Silver for a ride as well, or get on well with her instead.
From little pony to little camel!
Was it at least barbaric?
I really want to know more now.
Job was being tested by God. I think Liz will explain fully later and answer Silver's questions.
I am not too surprised that Silver had to fiddle with the Camelback just a bit. I am glad she likes it though!
There is a story here on FIMFIC with a similar title.
7545099
7545093
7545043 There was a pony who was an actor in Hollywod. And also, I've the impression that the unicorn doctor that checked Silver Glow trhough a tablet also lived in Earth. There was also mention of several pegasi in the Groundhog Day; and when the story started, they mention a lot of the flying restriction were sanctionated after a accident with a pegasus in france.
And there was also mentioned other pony in Los Angeles, when they were traveling, Silver didn't rembember coming from Equestria with, and she though that she would go with them in their travel but the agents told her that that pony had a different plan for the vacations.
So we have at least, five ponies for the exchange program, but I think that there are more that already live in Earth.
Also, oh my god, so cute, who could be opposed at ponies?!
That's right, Silver, show that nature center who's boss of the meadow!
She should totally have tried to join the deer in eating the grass though. I bet a little time toodling around together and she'd have a bunch of deer pals like she has horse and bird pals. Silver Glow, animal friend.
Also, wouldn't that camelback be a little unbalancing when it's between full and empty? On humans it hangs "down" while on a pony it would "hang across." And since water sloshes, it seems like it would pull her to one side or the other as she changes orientation - she'd have to compensate for additional weight on the outside of turns and the inside of rolls.
Given the size and shape of pony hooves, maybe those foam rubber beer can coasters would be better than slippers. I'd bet the college book store sells them with the college symbol on them.
Previous tenant sounds like The Law helped him move. When did Aric's friend have his problem? (6 degrees of separation?)
Job had his problems because God was bragging to Satan and Satan said "prove it"
Love poems range from "Song of Solomon" to "Baby's Got Back" Standards have fallen a bit.
The previous occupant story is probablt gory or something if no one want the place.
7545160
True.
Man, I'm so tempted to write something in a similar vein as Silver Glow's Journal (not necessary set in the same universe). If only I have more time and less competing ideas to write.
Well, considering that the alleged God didn't do so much as move a toe as Hitler's regime murdered six million Jewish people...
7545302
It could be fun to read something like this but with a pony with a different personality. While ponies are mostly nice, we have seen in Manehattan or in other episodes that there are all kind of ponies. Sceptics and serious like Quibble Pants, grumpy like Limestone, manipulative like the Flim and Flam brothers, jerks like Suri Polomare, intellectuals like Twilight, etc etc. It would be interesting to see how another pony could react to all this experiences.
7545118 Show canon seems to suggest that pegasi can haul truly prodigious weights with them in the air with their flight magic - the guard-ponies and their chariots w/ Celestia is only the beginning - that delivery service that we saw Derpy and the other ponies dropping anvils and pianos out of had to be many multiples of the body-weight of the ponies doing the hauling. Even Fluttershy is seen pulling a load of... what was it, frogs?
7545131
Well, she does swing a mean polearm.
7545275 I just hope it wasn't because the previous tenant was cooking meth in the kitchen. Although you'd think her sensitive nose would have detected something wrong.
7545206 I worry about Silver Glow eating random grasses, especially around deer populations. That's how ponies pick up nasty intestinal parasites.
except for the hunter ;-P
i guess for ponys it would be easier to have them on their belly ? or two side way bags filled with water ? like CFT's on fighter jets.
Huh... anyone else getting a little worried? Who in this current generation doesn't post anything to Facebook in a week?
7545468
The way they're hitched to that thing, I think it has to have its own levitation charm on it, or it'd just hang straight down. Same with the wagon that Derpy unloaded on Twilight. In which case they have to pull pretty hard on those carriages to get them up to speed, but they don't have to fight gravity.
7545605 My headcanon is that pegasi *are* levitation charms - like Superman, they have tactile telekinesis - they negate gravity's effect on things they are in contact with, including themselves. The wings are just for trim adjustment and impulse generation.
7545545 me! mind you I haven't posted to FB in like two years, b/c FB is a big bag of suck these days
7545468 Maybe Equestrian ponies had a stronger constitution and can eat grass without worrying about parasites. It would explain why Silver is so casual about it.
7545545
*raises hand*
7545275
I think it might've been the guy that did those shootings earlier in the year.
7545652 That was in February, not march.
7545422
Hmmmmm... And now I'm picturing a story where Flim and Flam come to earth, eager to make a few bits off these local, magicless rubes.
Only to discover that humans are far more cynical and suspicious than ponies... And then get taken for a ride by some of the locals, who are no slouches when it comes to con games and skulduggery.
In the end, after everything has gone wrong for the beleaguered brothers and they've concluded that Humanity is out of their league... They'll be discovered by a local business and hired on.... To an Ad Agency. After all, they may be small potatoes compared to human con artists, but they do have a significant amount of natural talent... It just needs some professional polishing!
Next thing you know, they're selling cubic zirconium earrings and Magic Juicers on QVC an raking in the cash.
I was the pony who lived upstairs and wanted to fly east at dawn, but it was so unpleasantly grey and murky that morning as if the sun had slept in...
7545422
And different countries too. Like that poor pegasus in France.
What about ponies in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asian countries? They have different cultures and practices from western countries and are probably even weirder to ponies, who share at least some similarities with the western world.
That's what I really wanted to write about. o_o
7546581 Of course, that's sounds really interesting as well. I had an idea for a fic with included the concept that in Islam, there is a winged horse https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buraq who was responsable of transporting the prophets (incluiding Muhammad) and since them it's have been an element of islamic tradition; so the apparition of a pegasus in an muslim country could have a very important religious impact.
EDIT: An there is even another pegasus; Haizum, the winged horse of archangel Gabriel
7545044
At Camelback central office, about half a year from now:
"Uh, sir, we've got an order for ten million units. From Equestria."
"What."
7546064
Flim and Flam would be the best
telemarketerswhatever it was you call a person who pitches weird useless crap on middle-of-the-night TV.7545044
Yep... I had been hoping SG wouldn't have had any problems after drinking that river water, and now she probably won't have to do that again.
All of which points out that she just keeps adding more weight in equipment, in a world having less of the magic she uses to fly... It's starting to read like a Rainbow Dash strength-and-endurance workout.
<I really need to go to this Earth place!)
Yeah, Job got back more than he had before, but it sucked to be his first set of kids and servants and livestock that got the shaft.
I do like the book of Job for implying Satan isn't evil just for the heck of it so much as serving as a tempter/prosecutor for God.
7546739 The sale of fireworks was banned (in New South Wales at least) in 1986. While I could drive three hours to Canberra to purchase them, to set them off I'd need a permit and a pyrotechnics licence.
7546671
The poor pegasus visiting there is going to get a whole bunch of followers and pilgrims... =O
And possibly the ire of the extremists.
7546817 I'm of the mind that pegasus saliva is just naturally oily.
Probably makes for interesting blowjobs.
7546671
Check out https://www.fimfiction.net/story/260906/a-white-mare where Celestia brings peace to Earth and Islamic nations don't hesitate at all to accept her guidance due to her religious significance.
7546817
Actually, doing some (belated) research on those glands, most birds do have a gland on the top side of their "butt" that makes "preen oil." Having "Powder down" or being flightless are apparently the other two options for birds, but the glands are far more common. How that factors into pegasi... I'll leave up to you.
7546856
Maybe that's the one I'm remembering. Didn't Fluttershy gift Sunflower a preening kit that was crazy expensive?
And if I recall correctly, the point was made that while the oil didn't taste bad, it also didn't taste particularly good.
Job is the only book where Satan kills anyone, and only with the consent of Yahweh. Yahweh kills millions of people for everyone Satan kills.
This bit somehow prompted me to think about the seemingly schizophrenic manner in which ponies behave around other creatures. I now think it may have to do with their origins as a prey species. The default is to assume anything unknown is a threat, but once it is proven safe, it is ignored in favor of watching for other potential threats. This may help explain how they can be so chummy with someone they were fleeing in panic from two days ago.
7546993
Yep, she did, while using her own oil glands at the wing joint herself to save money. Pro kit that Rainbow Dash nerded about. Was a really nice preening description, complete with having an oily muzzle afterwards. Headcanon was established that day. ;)
Camelbacks are awesome. I used to use one when I did milsim airsoft. It had it's drawbacks though
7546782
Funnily enough I went outside yesterday and it was smokey from a wildfire somewhat nearby. I've seen worse, last summer there were several bad ones in the area (combined about 140,000 acres/560 square kilometers) and you could see planes dumping chemicals and water in the distance.
7546671
There has to be a reason they appear in so many different cultures. Head-canon: All winged horses in human mythology were actually Celestia.
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7546835
Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how i got bitten by an adorable mare.
7545031
The Man never lets anyone have fun.
7545044
Oh yeah, those things would sell like hotcakes in Equestria. Every plowpony, every pony who pulls a wagon, and every pegasus would want one.
7545055
Silver Glow in slippers . . . she may not have reached the cuteness plateau yet.
7545071
She's both. Since Mister Salvatore likes leaning on people, she doesn't have to, but she can if need be.
As exchange students, fewer than a hundred. (and see reply below)
7545089
In the US, it's broken up into regions; in the western Great Lakes region, there are four student exchange ponies, who we've already met. There are other exchange ponies in other places.
7545118
I know, right?
There's got to be at least one pony on the echange program who's a shopaholic and has a wagon for all her purchases.
7545131
Silver Glow can't help but get more adorable.
Or course it was. All proper yawps are barbaric.
I'm sure Quinn will fill in the details one day.
7545132
That's one of the books of the Bible where you almost need to read it a couple of times to get what's going on.
Seriously, one of the best things for a pony ever. In another one of my stories, Lyra kind of wants one.
That was on purpose. It's a good story, by the way.
7545150
Corrections made; thank you!
7545160
The doctor lives in St. Louis, and he's there in case of medical emergencies. There are several, strategically placed throughout the US (not only for students, but for visitors as well). Besides being able to give instructions through the tablet, he can be flown to a hospital, if needed.
There are fewer than a hundred exchange students in the program in the US (more in similar programs in other countries) as well as a number of visitors on short-term visas, and some (like South Pole, the Hollywood actor) who are longer-term on work visas.
That's a protected prairie at the Kalamazoo Nature Center--while they can't do much about wild animals eating it, they can forbid their guests (and that includes ponies) from molesting the plants.
7545206
Never mind Silver Glow; can you imagine what Fluttershy could do with native animals? That's a terrifying thought . . . the next hunting season in Michigan would be one to remember, that's for sure.
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Having the straps crossed would help, since that would at least keep it centered on her spine, more or less. But yes, it would still be a bit sloshy, especially when it's partially filled.
You know what's really fun? Seeing milk tanker trucks after they've stopped. You can watch them jerk back and forth a little bit as the milk inside sloshes.
7545270
And there would be nothing more adorable than a pegasus with four beer coozies on her hooves.
It isn't anyone Aric or David know.
So true.
7545275
Or else the apartment management company already has a tenant for the next fall, so they need to find someone who only wants a short-term lease on the place.
Trust me, sometimes finding an apartment for four months is a challenge. My brother spent a summer sleeping on an enclosed porch, 'cause he couldn't find anything better.
7545302
I think you should. Because it would be awesome.
7545422
Part of the qualifying for the exchange program would undoubtedly be personality tests, so that they didn't wind up with King Sombra as someone's roommate . . . of course, those tests aren't infallible.
Yeah, I'd like to see more stories in this vein. There's a lot of room to explore.
7545468
Yeah, it was frogs that Fluttershy had.
I think that either the wagons are bespelled somehow, or that pegasus magic makes things lighter, or perhaps some of both. There could be pegasus craftsponies who are skilled at putting their innate flight magic in objects.
For this story, I'm trying to set more realistic limits, although it would be pretty funny if Silver Glow had dealt with the angry man at Walgreens by picking up his car and putting it into a tree.
Not only would her nose smell it (although she probably wouldn't know what it was) but Mister Salvatore and Miss Cherilyn would have checked for obvious red flags before showing her the apartment. Although on that topic, there's a house not that far from me that was the site of a murder/suicide, and I wonder if the new owners know that?
I don't intend for Silver Glow to pick up any really nasty parasites. Although it would be funny for her to have to get dewormed.