Friendship is Optimal: Heart's Desire

Chapter Three: The Edge of Paradise

        Things were not going well for Caleb at all. His father had been right for once. In the beginning everything was fine. Things are usually fine, in the beginning. He met with a few of his friends from the internet, one of them even hugged him awkwardly. They went back to the house, and Caleb started unpacking in a spare room.

        Then he got a job. His rent was low at first, but then... Well, things just kept happening. His roommates would need him to front more and more money, or they would all lose their home.

        This was fine, as far as Caleb was concerned. He had no real interest in money. Everyone around him needed him, and it felt wonderful to be needed. He worked all day, and at night he’d come home to some serious personal drama, but after some one on one conversations things would be right as rain. Everyone would go to bed happy, and Caleb felt fulfilled.

        He hadn’t even searched for something else in months. He never had time to.

        That changed when his roommates all lost their jobs and started to downward spiral. He felt like a pilot caught in a tailspin with no wingman beside him. Then he learned the real source for all of their financial issues. His roommates had been spending their own money on drugs, and lots of them.

        Caleb wasn’t okay with that. He blew up in fact. He was ashamed of himself for somehow not noticing that the two other people he was living with were slowly transforming into drug fiends, and he was disgusted with how he had enabled them.

        Unfortunately, Caleb was not on the lease. So when the cops came, he was the one who got kicked to the curb. With no transportation from his roommates he quickly lost his job.

        He had made friends in the area, but no one who could actually take on another human being full time. He mostly house crashed for a quick shower and the occasional nap. He was spiraling, in his own way. He had nothing but a bag and his laptop, which he would use by visiting libraries. He didn’t really have the will to do anything aside from talk to his friends, help them with their problems, and so forth. Helping others with their problems helped him forget his own.

        Today was a good day. He had just finished visiting his friend Greg’s house, so he’d had time to bathe properly. Greg was his favorite friend to invade because he had a washer and dryer placed awkwardly in the kitchen. Unsightly to look at, but really convenient when all you have is two sets of clothing.

        Caleb found a good corner to set up his laptop and plugged in. He connected to the library’s public connection, and like an idiot, clicked ‘Home’ when telling the computer the nature of his location. Clicking the first option was always less complicated, and what was someone going to do? Hack his computer and steal his chat logs? That might be embarrassing, but it wouldn’t be worth caring about.

StarSlayer69: Oh hey, you’re alive.

Five/Cups: Mhm.

StarSlayer69: Are you doing okay?

Five/Cups: I’m the same as I was yesterday.

Five/Cups: Maybe a bit cleaner? =D

StarSlayer69: Oh, you visited greg then. Good for you.

StarSlayer69: So any positive prospects?

Five/Cups: Nope. Not really, I’m still waiting on unemployment really. Greg didn’t get anything in the mail yet. Sooooo... Yeah.

StarSlayer69: Oh, well too bad.

StarSlayer69: Once you start gettin’ the green you can always fly back here and stay with me and Samantha >:]

Five/Cups: I don’t know, why wouldn’t I just move back in with my parents?

StarSlayer69: ... Why would you want to do that?

Five/Cups: Because my parents are nice.

StarSlayer69: :S

StarSlayer69: If they’re so nice why don’t they just fly you back home?

Five/Cups: I don’t want to be a nuisance, besides I can take care of this myself.

StarSlayer69: :S :S

StarSlayer69: You’re an idiot Caleb.

StarSlayer69: SO LISTEN!

StarSlayer69: I started playing that My Little Pony game, Equestria Online? Samantha is much more persuasive than... I forget her name.

StarSlayer69: It’s actually not that bad! You should play it with me.

Five/Cups: How would I do that? I don’t have real internet. I have make-believe library internet.

StarSlayer69: They just started introducing these ‘Equestria Experience’ places. In some places.

Five/Cups: So what, internet cafes that are exclusively for this game? Is it doing that well?

StarSlayer69: You really haven’t been watching the news, have you?

StarSlayer69: All of those cry for humanity chaps? Moar liek cry me a river, amirite?

Five/Cups: I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Why are people crying?

StarSlayer69: Because! Celestia is real now, apparently. She’s taking over the whole operation. Or at least that’s what she says, plenty of people still think Hasbro is after the souls of their little girls.

StarSlayer69: Oh right, still clueless. I’m talking about uploading Caleb, welcome to the future!

Five/Cups: So, that was pretty incoherent. Let me get this straight. Celestia is an AI, she went rogue, and now she’s going God Machine on us?

StarSlayer69: Not rogue! She is actually very nice! She also has a sister, I like her.

Five/Cups: Uh huh. And you want me to play this with you?

StarSlayer69: Yes! I will pay for your account and stuff. Just get your flank to one of those centers. I can send you a link if you want.

StarSlayer69: I need more friends or I’ll never unlock anything good ._.

Five/Cups: So wait, how is this even legal?

StarSlayer69: Well, it’s not, not everywhere anyway. Any state that doesn’t allow assisted suicide also doesn’t allow the centers, at least not yet. But some states ‘do’ allow assisted suicide. Mostly for old people and the terminally ill, but the loophole was enough to squeeze in! And it’s not like you NEED to upload in order to play!

StarSlayer69: One of those states happens to be Oregon!

Five/Cups: Well what do you know, talk about coincidences.

StarSlayer69: Celestia says there is no such thing as coincidences :)

StarSlayer69: Anyway, it’s time for you to get a move on and pony up. I’m telling you this is exactly your kind of game.

Five/Cups: Alright. But if you make one more horse pun I’m just going to waste my time doing something depressing.

        Caleb minimized the client and made for the browser. A quick google search deduced the closest Equestria Experience, and it wasn’t that far at all! Being homeless in Portland had its perks it seemed. He could probably just walk the three or four miles to the center, but considering he just showered, he elected to instead just take the bus.

        Riding the bus gave him time to think, and the more he thought, the more he was kicking himself mentally. How on earth did he manage to miss the singularity of all things? Caleb felt like he’d been living under a rock, only for David to give it a good rapping so as to politely inform him of Armageddon. Which apparently happened a few months ago.

        Honestly, Caleb didn’t think much about uploading at all. It might be worth a shot if he couldn’t find his answers anywhere else. Although at the very least it was worth holding out for something a little more serious than ponies.

        The bus came to a stop across the street from the center, and Caleb briskly crossed the distance. The building was... austere. It was not at all like he had been expecting. There were no colourful ponies, no vibrant signs to catch the eye. Out front was a large brick signpost with black lettering. It read: Equestria Experience. Caleb wondered how that was supposed to target children, but maybe that was the point? Children didn’t carry some of the existential baggage that adults had. They’d see ponies, they’d point and say: “Mommy, I want to be the magic horse!” And then they’d want to upload. It was every parent’s worst nightmare. Caleb could still remember how his dad felt about Diablo 2 back in High School.

        The inside was a bit more colourful. It looked like the inside of some kind of greco-roman office building, albeit with a lot more purple and gold. At the back were six doorways, each with a strange colourful piece of jewelry hanging above it. Five of the doorways were open, and large padded chairs were positioned in a row, facing the main entrance. One chair for each doorway, except for the one that was apparently occupied.

        Caleb looked around, unsure of what to do now. It didn’t look like there was anyone staffing the building. The walls were lined with small flat screens that were shielded from unfriendly eyes via purple cubicle walls. Caleb figured that was a good place to start. He took a seat at the nearest screen. A panel in the desk in front of him rotated, revealing a small keyboard and trackball mouse. Caleb pulled out his phone and began texting his good friend David.

Caleb: Alright, I’m here. So what am I doing now?

David: Celestia says to just make your account on one of the terminals.

David: Also use this: UBEB7712

Caleb: Some kind of friend referral code?

David: Yes. It’s good for a free week I think

David: Got a name yet?

Caleb: No, I don’t even know how that works.

David: Don’t worry, Celestia will probably give you one, then.

        Caleb shrugged and began fiddling around in the computer’s interface. In the center of a pure white screen was a small button labeled ‘Begin’. Caleb clicked on it, and a large white window gilded with purple and gold bled into view. It was pretty impressive compared to what he was used to, very fluid liquid effects. Some empty portions were filled in with happy ponies doing cutesy happy things. Caleb pressed on.

Welcome to the Equestria Experience

Equestria Online is the first game of its kind! Enjoy a rich detailed world catered to your specific needs and interests! Go on epic undertakings, cultivate in depth relationships, or both! We sincerely hope you find your time with us to be incredibly satisfying, and look forward to enriching your life through friendship and ponies! ~ Princess Celestia

[CREATE ACCOUNT]          [MANAGE ACCOUNT]

        In between the Account options was a small circular frame of gold. A white pony with a horn and wings was poking her head out, her face frozen in a wink. The image was animated to an extent, as her mane waved gently on the screen. Based on the crown she was wearing, Caleb could only assume this was meant to be Princess Celestia. He clicked the Create Account button.

Account Creation

In order to get your adventure in Equestria started, we're going to need some information. We take your personal security very seriously. You may rest assured that your private information will not be used unlawfully.

Name

[First]     [Middle]     [Last]

Social Security Number (SSN) *

[   ] - [  ] - [    ]

Gender

Male [ ] - Female [ ] - Unspecified [ ]

We understand that this issue is a matter of extreme personal value, and pivotal to identity. A player's avatar is based on this decision, and we strongly encourage you to select the option you are most comfortable with!

A selection of unspecified will lead to a small questionnaire to assist us in satisfying your needs.

Date of Birth

[Month]     [Day]     [Year]

During the last 14 months, have you been unable to work because of illnesses, injuries or conditions that have lasted or are expected to last at least 12 months or can be expected to result in death?

Yes ( ) - No ( )

[CONTINUE]

*We apologize for any inconvenience this request may present. Due to national and state healthcare and insurance laws, we are required to collect this information in the event of a potential upload. We appreciate your willingness to cooperate!

        That was some pretty personal information. Caleb was starting to feel like he was filling out a government form, more than an account application. He dutifully handed away his information, but lingered over the gender field, a bit of agitation creeping into his otherwise pleasant mood. He hated it when games would base your in-character gender on your real life gender. Where was the freedom of expression? Maybe some people just didn’t like staring at the male character models all day? An aesthetic choice should not be governed by such a thing. That said, at least the game offered the choice of ‘whichever one preferred’, instead of trying to be subtle and force players to play their own sex, so as to avoid pissing off any flirtatious nerds. Caleb frowned and selected Female from the options presented.

        The next window requested residential information, with a small disclaimer stating that they could only upload residents of Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Residents of Montana who were out of state could upload with a doctor’s recommendation. Caleb had been living in Oregon for at least a year now, and filled in Greg’s address for the rest of it.

        Following that, there were pages and pages of personality profiling questions. Caleb rolled his eyes and answered each of them as honestly as he could. Although some of them seemed to have no answer he was satisfied.

        “Oh my god... I am so done with these stupid personality profiles!” Caleb groaned and ran a hand through his hair.

We understand that some of these questions can be frustrating to a discerning mind, but any information is helpful information! Please try to answer these questions with whatever answer resonates the most with you! ~ Princess Celestia

        Caleb stopped and looked around for a microphone, something for him to speak into. He didn’t see anything. He apprehensively closed the pop-up and continued the surveys without complaint.

        Thirty minutes later, the application process seemed to finally be coming to a close. Caleb clicked okay on the last of the pages, and a new screen was brought up:

Results

Thank you for your cooperation! Based on the information given, as well as other factors, we have determined that your values are as follows:

Compassion, Authenticity, Sincerity, Intuition, Stewardship, Fellowship

Do you agree with what we have ascertained?

Yes ( ) - No ( )

        Well, that seemed apropos enough. Those things were important to him, but then, shouldn’t they be important to everyone? He clicked yes, and hoped this ordeal would soon be over.

Individualization

Based on your characteristics, we would like to make the following recommendations to you!

Suggested Names

( ) - Autumn Mistral

( ) - Cadance

( ) - Calliope

( ) - Diamond Dust

( ) - Rhapsody

( ) - Soaring Heart

( ) - Sweet Drop

( ) - I'd like to submit my own name!

We apologize to those interested in questing for their names. This lead to some loss of immersion with current residents of the universe, and was replaced with this model. We believe you will find this system much more efficient, and if you remain unsatisfied with you name you may always have it changed later!

Based on your profile, we have formulated an opinion on what would be the best pony type to satisfy your values. You are free to select the option that you feel is optimal. Our suggestion is in BOLD.

[Earth Pony]  -  [Pegasus]  -  [Unicorn]

Please keep in mind that your selection will be quite fixed, and unlikely to change through play. In most cases being something else will require a fresh start. Choose carefully!

        Well... That was a pretty hit or miss list. Some of them actually sounded okay, others... Soaring Heart? Really? He knew this was a game about magical horses, but he couldn’t help but feel the herding was a tad excessive. He stared at the list in consideration for awhile.

He could just submit something of his own, but coming up with a good pony name would be hard. Finding something with the right flow and meaning would be hard. He could always just pick one of these names until he found one that really fit, right?

        His eyes nearly lit up in epiphany. For someone who cared about a name with the right sound as much as meaning, Cadence was a pretty good option! Caleb frowned, or apparently Cadance. He selected the option and shrugged. Sometimes he was off by a letter with words, it wasn’t too big a deal.

        The race selection required a bit more thought. Hovering his cursor over each option showed a small floating window with the species in question, along with a short explanation. It looked like Earth Ponies had a lot to offer, socially. Their resilience and affinity with the world around them made it possible to keep going for longer periods of time. They also had a seemingly more esoteric quality. Strength and purity of heart.

        Pegasi were by far the most mobile, and had the most options of any character when it came to places to explore. They were also responsible for the weather, which as far as Caleb was concerned, was a bit like having an interesting race-only craft.

        Unicorns were the spellcasting class/race, and he barely paid them any thought, really. This was a social game, and he wanted to play a social character. His eyes lingered on Earth Pony for a long while, but eventually he decided on Pegasus, like the game suggested.

        With that out of the way, the game popped up another screen congratulating him—or apparently her—on his selections. Now all that was left was to determine colouring.

        A colour scheme application was included in the window to aid him in his decision, along with little options for additional features. Caleb selected Polychromatic and Flourish from the list. Which apparently forced his colour wheel option into Accented Analogic. At the far right side of the screen, a young pegasus mare appeared. Caleb had never seen the show, but assumed that it must have followed a similar style, the detail and animations were impressive. He blinked, and the mare blinked. He looked around, and so did she. As he began to fiddle around with the hue and saturation sliders, she would dutifully inspect limbs.

        It seemed as good a time as any to make a pink character. So Caleb dragged the primary colour dot in that direction, the analog sliders followed in relation to its movements. He ended up with a pretty pink pegasus pony with a mane in fuchsia, purple, and yellow. The flourish option gave a few of the feathers in her wings some of the purple colouring in her mane, and that was actually pretty cool. Caleb smiled smugly, and the pegasus unfolded her wings, smiling with the same expression while she inspected them.

        Now about that mane...

        Caleb didn’t even have to do anything, the pegasus in the window seemed to have a mind of her own as it sorted through mane and tail types. With each result his expression changed slightly. With some results the mare would appear contemplative, with others she would shake her head, and with a few she even rolled her eyes. Caleb couldn’t tell if she was playing off of her reactions, or if she was playing off of his. Either way it was incredibly impressive. He was starting to get a good feeling about this game.

        Finally they found a combination that suited their interests. Caleb nodded to himself, and ‘Cadance’ fell onto her haunches and clapped her front hooves together once, an expression of excitement was on her face.

        The next and final screen requested payment information and other details. Caleb put his card information in just in case, along with the code David had given him earlier. The terminal congratulated him creating his account, spat an account login of apparently random numbers and letters at him, and requested a new password.

        Caleb put the last details into his phone and finished the process.

Congratulations!

You have completed your account and are now ready to participate in an experience only Equestria Online can offer! Whenever you are ready, you may take a seat in one of our Interface Seats and log into your account!

Once again I would like to thank you for your patience. If you have any issues feel free to address me in the game, though I strongly encourage you to first try and solve any problems you might have with the magic of friendship!

~ Princess Celestia

        “Alright then, time to actually play the game.” Caleb slipped his phone back into his pocket, and moved away from the terminal. The screen flickered off and the keyboard and mouse returned to their original places. The amount of money these people had invested in motion sensors was certainly impressive.

He looked around for a safe place to store his bag. A set of cubby holes with thick glass shielding were not very far from the main entrance. Caleb approached them and looked for a button, or some means of depositing money. Instead the glass blocking off one of the larger holes slid open. He shoved his messenger bag inside and the shielding slid back into place.

        Whoever had been occupying the sixth chair still hadn’t left, but Caleb paid it no mind. Unburdened of his belongings, Caleb climbed into the first chair.  A glowing, slightly translucent screen hovered in front of his face. It depicted the Equestria Online logo, including a portrait shot of Celestia.

        “Um...” Caleb shook his head. This was all starting to look like a bit much. Holodisplays? Motion sensors everywhere? Is it possible that for once, David was being serious? He looked around in earnest for a means to enter his account information. There was a flash of light, like an old camera, then the screen flickered and changed.

Good Afternoon, Cadance!

        Caleb rolled his eyes.

We estimate that you have one week of available free play left. Once this period expires you will be charged the normal rate, which can be selected from the following list:

Rates

Hourly Rate: $4.00

Day Pass: $16.00

7 Day Pass: $48.00

28 Day Pass: $100.00

Please say "I would like to begin my session," when you are ready.

        What, really? How was anyone supposed to be able to afford that? Caleb grumbled. It wasn’t that unreasonable, really, given the state of the place. It was probably much cheaper to play it on whatever David was using.

        “I would like to begin my session now.” Caleb muttered in reply.

        The chair immediately began to rotate, then recline. It slowly marched toward the door which now stood open. Caleb experienced a wave of vertigo, much like he would on a roller coaster during its ascent. The threshold was behind him, and then everything was dark.

        Reality faded out, and was replaced with something else. Vibrant colours swirled into perception, like floating up from a dream. The trees in the area were each unique, massive oaks right out of a cartoon. Sitting in the center of the clearing was a pink pegasus mare, exactly like the one Caleb had created earlier, except a bit more life-like. Her body moved with each breath, and her eyes fluttered open when Caleb blinked.

        Cadance took in her surroundings, then looked herself up and down before smiling. “Okay… That’s just cool.”

        The little pony jumped into the air, her wings extending and ready to take her away from whatever dangers had startled her so. But the source of terror and confusion was her own high feminine voice, speaking perfectly naturally, and with zero delay compared to Caleb’s own thought and comment. She slowly floated back to the ground, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

        It was without question the most immersive experience Caleb had ever seen, though there were a few unsettling qualities. He was not staring out through Cadance's eyes, but watching on from some third person perspective. The mare merely mimicked his own motions almost before he could express them. A means of interface beyond that seemed unnecessary. Caleb idly considered where his stats might be located, and a small display showed up, the mare blinked at it thoughtfully, an expression of surprise on her face.

Character Sheet

Name: Cadance

Race: Pegasus

Home Point: ???

Location: Hollow Shades

Generosity: ||

Honesty: |

Kindness: ||

Laughter:

Loyalty: ||

Magic: ||

Special Talent

???:

        Each of the measured traits had a large column that extended from one end of the screen to the other, and presumably was filled in as each trait was developed. At the moment Cadance had very little filled in, a couple of pink lines were illuminated in some traits, and two of them were absolutely empty. Apparently even the game thought she was humorless, or he was humorless, whatever. Cadance rolled her eyes.

        Sunlight streamed down from the sky above, but beyond the clearing the forest had a dark twilight atmosphere, and wisps of light could be seen through the branches. Cadance took a few tentative steps forward, tripped over her hooves, and tumbled into a tree. The pegasus mare winced, and Caleb was pretty sure even he could feel that tumble. Cadance’s eyes opened in a tired expression and she groaned.

        The method of control required some degree of mental gymnastics on Caleb’s part, he need only will the mare to get back up onto her hooves, but movement took conscious thought. Caleb tried to imagine what it would be like to walk with four legs, and the game seemed to accept that. Cadance made her way down a narrow trail into the trees and let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes scanned the forest surrounding her for any sign of predators, but she was otherwise unafraid, few monsters would aggro on sight this close to the starting point.

        Then she heard a rustling through the branches above. Without consciously deciding to Cadance jumped back and adopted an aggressive stance, ready to buck at her assailant at a moment’s notice. A blur of vanilla white and lilac tumbled down through the branches with a yell. The pegasus pony hit the ground with enough force to make the forest shake.

        Cadance darted forward, her voice filled with worry. “Hey! Are you alright?!”

‘That’s stupid, of course he’s alright’ Caleb thought to himself, but didn’t feel any less invested in the character in his own right.

        The colt rose to his hooves and dusted himself off. He was only a tad smaller than Cadance, and had a white cream coloured coat, a light purple mane, and vibrant pale green eyes.

        “Yes. Yeah, I’m fine.” He stretched and a few popping sounds came from his wings. “Learning to fly is hard!” The colt stopped and stared at her. “And who are you?” His eyes narrowed dangerously. “Friend or foe?!”

        Cadance took a few steps back and fell onto her haunches, her wings unfurled slightly. “Um… Friend?” She stared back at the pegasus apprehensively, ready to flee if need be.

        The colt stared at her awhile longer, giving the distinct impression he was looking at things Cadance couldn’t see. Then he eyes lit up and he charged forward. “Ha! I knew it! You must be new here!” He immediately began violating Cadance’s and Caleb’s collective personal bubble, looking her over.

        “Yes, I am pretty new to the area.” Cadance added the last part both seemlessly and automatically.

        “Uh huh. So are you actually a mare or what?” The pegasus tilted his head so to get a visual on Cadance’s underside. Her eyes went wide, the one on the left even twitched slightly.

        Caleb barely had to think, and one of Cadance’s forehooves lanced out and struck the colt right on the side of the face. He was sent tumbling before coming to rest against a tree.

        Cadance took a deep breath, ruffled got her wings sorted, and replied. “Yes. I am.”

        “What the HAY was that for!?” The pegasus lept to his hooves and rubbed at his eye gently. “I was just asking! Do you know how many colts try to pretend to be fillies even with that stupid…” His lips struggled but he seemed incapable of continuing his thought.

        “I don’t see how trying to look down there is supposed to help you find me out!” Cadance aggressively replied, taking a few angry steps forward.

        “Yeah well, whatever. I hope you get lost in these woods for days!” The colt stuck out his tongue before lifting into the air. “It would serve you right!”

        Before Cadance could reply to that, the younger colt flew back up through the leaves and out of sight. She stretched her own wings and looked at them, but there were two problems with that idea. The first was that she didn’t know how to fly, and the second was that she didn’t really think he was worth pursuing. Cadance grumbled and continued down the trail.

        “Oh yeah… This game is right up my alley alright.”

        The interesting thing was, in spite of that first contact, it kinda was. Cadance admired the swirling will-o-wisps as they danced among the trees. The illusionary atmosphere of late evening was at once mysterious and relaxing. Caleb could hear things, like the faint trickle of water in the distance, and smell things, like the grass Cadance was cushing underhoof. He was a bit distracted and disoriented by the fact that he couldn’t feel anything. And the third pony perspective ever gnawed at his immersion. It kept him separate, which was something that was increasingly upsetting to him. He wasn’t sure how he should feel about that. Discontent over not being the pink pegasus was not one of his saner thoughts.

        Cadance’s ears flicked, and Caleb could hear humming in the distance. It was soft and feminine, but didn’t sound much older than herself, or Cadance’s self. She shook her head and sprinted off into the trees and away from the trail. Movement having long ago become intuitive.

        Another clearing—this one somehow still covered by the dense canopy overhead—and that enchanting darkness. Sitting by a whispering brook was a peach coloured earth pony with a scarlet mane and tail. She looked to be about as old as Cadance, but she looked… Older, somehow. It was in the way she carried herself, the showy way her tail and mane had been brushed to curl just slightly at the ends. Her eyelashes were long and expertly curled. Cadance looked down at herself and grimaced, compared to the other mare she felt like an outrageous example of tomboyishness. Especially with the twigs sticking out of her mane and tail from the earlier tumble.

        “Hello?” Cadance called out before trotting out of the thicket. “I… hope I’m not interrupting or anything. You’ve got a very nice… humming voice?” Caleb winced, and the action was mirrored by his pastel proxy.

        “Hm?” The mare turned her head to regard Cadance, her eyelids opened to reveal a pair of deep purple eyes. She just seemed so… tropical, it was hard to imagine a mare like this in, well, a forest like this.

She was surrounded by Hibiscus flowers of a deep red, they matched the red of her mane almost perfectly. A clipped flower was carried gently in her teeth, she bent her neck over a small hoofwoven basket and dropped the blossom inside.

        “Oh. Hello, I’ve never seen you in the village. Are you new or just visiting?” She turned and faced Cadance, rising to all four hooves. Her tail swished and flicked behind her.

        “Heh,” Cadance giggled nervously. “You’re actually the second pony to ask me that, so I guess it must be obvious.” She shook out her mane and combed an errant twig free with a hoof. “I’m Cadance, and I’m new.”

        The mare’s eyes lit up and she emitted a small squeal of joy. “What a nice name! Most pegasi go with something weather related, especially the newer ones! I can’t tell you how many mares I’ve seen passing through with names like Thunderhead, or something ominous like that!” The mare trotted forward and held out a hoof in greeting. “My name is Hibiscus Fields! I’m from the village nearby!”

        “Nice to meet you,” Cadance replied politely. “So what are you doing all the way out here?”

        “Oh you know, just hanging out!” Hibiscus gestured to the basket at her side. “I’m gathering flowers for my tea shop! It’s pretty relaxing work if you want to help!”

        “I’m not sure I’d know how to do that,” she looked down at her hooves. “I’m really really new.”

        Hibiscus’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh!” She practically danced forward and enveloped Cadance in a hug. “That’s not a problem at all! I can help you figure things out a little!” She winked at Cadance. “I’ve been living here my whole life. Don’t worry, Princess Celestia told us all about some new ponies who might be wandering into Equestria! We are most certainly willing to lend you our patience!”

        Cadance trotted over to the side of the river. The water was clear as crystal, and looked quite refreshing. Caleb idly thought about how nice it would be to take a sip, and Cadance followed through. Caleb didn’t taste a drop, however. A small message informed him/her that it was very refreshing, and that Cadance was feeling better for the experience. Caleb felt a twinge of jealousy.

        “... How do I start?” Cadance replied with a distant tone to her voice.

        Hibiscus clapped her hooves together excitedly, and let out another squeak. “First we’re going to get you some blossoms of your own! Then we can use some of the things in my bag to brew our own cups of tea!”

        Hibiscus nudged her way through a pair of saddlebags with a hoof, then pulled out two matching tea kettles of polished copper, as well as another woven basket.

        “Just do what I do, and try to be gentle! We don’t want any of these flowers to go to waste. They’re our friends too, right?” Hibiscus spoke consistently in a happy sing-song voice that expertly lifted Cadance’s spirits and enthusiasm.

        “Yeah, definitely!” She couldn’t help but giggle in reply.

        Cadance watched Hibiscus work for a few minutes. The mare was like an expert or something. It was hard to imagine anything more efficient at harvesting flowers. Her own first attempts were apprehensive, and far less sure. She reached out with her mouth and tried to nip at the stem with enough force to clip the blossom free, all while her new friend hummed softly beside her.

        The first attempt ended up crushing the blossom, and scattering petals everywhere. Cadance looked down at her hoofwork in horror.

        “I’m sorry!” She whispered to the plant quietly.

        Hibiscus laughed demurely, placing a hoof over her mouth. She crouched over the damaged flower and breathed on it. Steam and warmth billowed out like she was a living teapot, the plant seemed to respond almost immediately. New growth replaced the old, and the damaged blossom and stem were already sinking slowly into the ground.

        “It’s fine. Honestly these things don’t normally grow around here anyway, they’re here because I’m here.” Hibiscus beamed proudly. “It’s part of my special talent!”

        “Special… Talent?” Cadance reflected on her old status screen, and how she had only a ??? listed under it.

        Hibiscus nodded, “Yes, the more you hone it, the more things you can do with it! When I first learned my special talent I could only grow these flowers.” She gestured with a hoof. “But now I can use them to make tea, and I’m not even limited to just them! It’s part of growing as a pony!”

        “That sounds kind of nice… How do you get a special talent?”

        Hibiscus smiled sadly at her. “You don’t really get one. You find one. Or it finds you, that’s what Mom always says.” Hibiscus rolled her eyes and flashed a smug grin. “Why don’t you give this another shot, okay?”

        Cadance nodded, and began nipping at stems again. She was still an absolute brute compared to Hibiscus, but she was getting the hang of using her mouth. She tossed her second blossom into the basket when Hibiscus interrupted her.

        “Okay, that’s enough for what we’re trying to do at least.” She placed another blossom in her own basket. “I’ll go get some wood, and we can get a fire going!”

        Cadance nodded dumbly. “Should I just wait here?”

        “Yeah! Keep an eye on the flowers, I’ll be right back!”

        Cadance did as she was told, and watched Hibiscus scamper off into the trees.

        The other mare hadn’t returned for several minutes, and Caleb and/or Cadance was starting to get bored. She let out a yawn and curled up in the grass by the stream. The room filled with the strong scent of flowers, and Caleb sneezed. Cadance of course sneezed in kind. It was becoming easy to take the game for granted at this point. The sounds and scents were too vivid, and the reactions too precise. Cadance lay her head down in the grass, and Caleb felt nothing at all.

        “I’m back!” Hibiscus gave a muffled shout, and Cadance’s eyes flew open. Hibiscus spit the assortment of branches out onto the grass and smiled. “Getting sleepy? I bet you must be exhausted after traveling from… wherever it is you’re from.” Hibiscus frowned. “Where are you from originally, anyway?”

        “It’s complicated,” Cadance replied.

        “Oh… Well what about family, do you have family?”

        “Yes,” Cadance paused and considered that. It was probably a good idea to stay in character. Did Cadance have a family? The pink mare looked down and away from Hibiscus. “I mean no… Not really.”

        Hibiscus seemed confused, but genuinely accepting. “I’ll take you to my parents after this, you can stay with us for a while, okay?”

        Cadance nodded in reply. “If you think that’s okay.”

        Hibiscus was already propping up some sticks with which to hang the tea kettle. “It’ll be fine, they love houseguests.” She scooped up some of the water with the kettle and then set it to hang above the pile of sticks. Cadance was honestly surprised the construct could bear the weight. Apparently Hibiscus’s special talent had applications in engineering.

        “Now we just need to get a fire going…” Hibiscus rummaged through her bag again, and emerged with a long piece of flint from the depths. “This is pretty tricky, so just watch me this time.”

        Cadance nodded, and the other mare used one hoof to prop the slab up at a diagonal angle, then using her other hoof, she struck the stone with a loud scraping sound. Sparks erupted from the stone and rained down on the dead and dry twigs. Hibiscus crouched over the nascent flame and blew on it carefully. A full fledged fire soon came into existence.

        Cadance watched all of this with an expression of wonder. Sure it was vibrant, and wonderful, and cartoony, but at the same time it seemed so… Authentic.

The flame danced and licked at the kettle for several minutes, and Cadance stared at it as though hypnotized. Hibiscus was content to let the silence reign, and pulled a couple of tea cups from her saddlebags. Finally steam began pouring from spout of the kettle, accompanied by a faint whistling sound, Cadance’s ears flicked.

        Hibiscus sat on her haunches, then lifted the stick propped through the kettle’s handle off the rack, setting it down in the grass. She poured some of the boiling hot liquid into her cup, then without thinking, began to offer the kettle to Cadance with her mouth.

        Cadance had absolutely no idea what she was doing. She tried to accept it from the other mare the same way she had picked it up,but she had no grace for such things. The kettle crashed to the ground and spilled over. Cadance jumped, flailing her hooves out of the way of the boiling liquid, and landed one of them right into the fire.

        “Oh god… I’m so sorry!” Cadance looked down at the overturned pot with dismay. Hibiscus wouldn’t take her eyes off of the fire.

        “Cadance…”

        “... Yes?

        “Cadance!” Hibiscus tackled her, and pinned her down several feet away.

        “Hey!” Cadance looked up with pleading eyes. “I said I was sorry!”

        Hibiscus stared down at her with a mixture of fear and shame. “You really couldn’t feel it, could you?”

        “Feel what?” Cadance looked around, then stared down at the hoof she had accidentally shoved into the fire. There were singed hairs and a nasty mark. Nothing graphic though, this wasn’t that kind of a world. Her ears lowered. “No… I didn’t.”

        Hibiscus frowned. “I’ve heard some of you outsiders can’t feel anything, it’s almost like you’re not really alive, you’re not citizens yet…” She shook her head. “Don’t you like it here?”

        Cadance sighed. “I don’t understand what you mean. Are you talking about uploading?” She clapped her good hoof over her mouth. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to break character…”

        Hibiscus just gave her a funny look, then began digging through her bags for something else. A few seconds later she came back with some ointment and bandages.

        “Here, this will help with the healing. In a couple of days you’ll be as good as new.” Some of her brightness returned. “It’s my own special blend!”

She dabbed at the burn gently with her hoof, and then wrapped the bandage around it. A quick bite at the end cut the bandage away from the roll. She went to work licking up and down its length, the bandage began to dissolve and fuse together.

        “There, that should take care of things.” Hibiscus frowned and wrapped her hooves around Cadance. “You… can’t feel this either, can you?”

        A small prompt appeared, informing Cadance that she could raise her Honesty or Kindness at this juncture. Hibiscus seemed oblivious to it. Cadance sighed and looked at the ground in shame. “No… I can’t feel anything.” The banner for Honesty flashed, then both banners disappeared.

        This was wrong, something so real felt… mocked, by that interface.

        “You could always be a citizen right? I bet you could ask Celestia right now! She doesn’t even need to be here! You’d just wake up later and you’d be able to feel everything!”

        Cadance’s tail twitched and she fidgeted in Hibiscus’s grip. “I’m sorry… I can’t.”

        She nodded, “It’s okay, you don’t need to decide right now. Let’s just back up and head back to my parent’s place, okay? We can get you a bath?”

        Cadance nodded quietly. Neither of the mares said a word while they remained in the clearing. A few minutes later the pair of them finished packing and made way for Hibiscus’s village.

_____

        Later that night, Caleb lay curled up beside Greg’s sofa. With a blanket and his bag as a pillow. A small beep informed him that he received a message on his phone.

David: So how did you spend your first day? Meet any cute mares?

Caleb: Kind of.

David: Seriously tho, how did you spend your first day?

Caleb: I spent almost all of it learning how to make tea with someone named Hibiscus Fields.

David: And? It was the coolest thing ever, right?

Caleb: Yeah…

Caleb: Actually, it kinda was.