Meeting the World

by Inkyarn

First published January 1st, 1970 00:00

Fluttershy was excited for college. All she wanted to do was get to her first class, sit down in her desk and begin her work. But no one seemed to tell her that Oatland University, one of Canterlot's (of Equestria's!) most prestigious schools, would have so many people.

Suffice to say, she wasn't prepared.

Chapters

The Campus

The Campus
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Meeting the World

The Campus

Loud horns sounded out across the city, accompanied by blaring lights and the soft hums of hundreds of bright, shiny cars. Each street wound about Canterlot in great twists and turns that served to merely confuse newcomers and spit them back out onto the freeway back toward wherever they came. This was the outer city, where streets were broken every quarter mile for a light and circled the outer edge in some ever swelling loop. It was a twisted, jumbled mass of roads and shops, accompanied by the noisy clamor one would expect of the capital city of Equestria. The few cars who did manage to make their way to the inner circle found softer roads, turn-abouts that kept the traffic always shifting in one direction or another and several large plazas with no specific parking lot assigned to them.

Inner Canterlot was for its citizens. The people of this prestigious city left their shiny toy cars at home in favor of walking to and fro, from expensive store to expensive store. Where the roads had been slow and halting around the outer rim, they were now smooth and quick. Small parking spaces adorned the sides of the plentiful sidewalks and crosswalks split off the streets but traffic was much faster through here. Each plaza was surrounded by tiny shops that sold everything from fancy jewelry to fresh fudge. As their little station wagon rolled along past another section, Fluttershy took a deep breath, pulling in the warm, delicate scent. Her bright green eyes flashed down to her hands, wrapped neatly in her lap, before flicking over to her mother in the seat beside her. "Mom, do you think we can stop for some fudge before we go?" She spoke in a soft, whispering voice.

Posey gripped the wheel tight, chewing on her bottom lip as she navigated the beat down, old car through the streets of Canterlot. The old woman murmured something about the flickering crosswalk lights and pushed the brake, looking everywhere about the car before finally acknowledging her daughter. "I-I dunno, Fluttershy. We already passed it. I think we're late as it is." They caught eyes and she stared away into the mirror. "These stupid roads are too confusing. I can't find Winchester street." There was a loud rumbling sound as the brakes released and the car pulled forward once more. A few more turn-abouts passed before Posey sighed heavily. "Don't you have some kind of gps or something on that fancy phone?"

"What ever happened to 'I don't need directions'?" A smirk crept along her soft, pale face.

"I've had enough of your sass, little lady." After nearly turning left onto a one-way street, Posey tossed her hands up and flinched to a chorus of loud car horns and angry shouts. "Get that stupid thing up."

Fluttershy laughed and did as she was told. She reached down between her legs to find a pair of fuzzy white ears. A tiny face peeked up from under the chair and hopped up into her lap. "Angel!" Fluttershy cooed, scratching his long, soft ears. "Have you seen my purse?" A small bump in the road rocked the bunny, who scooted back down to hide under the seat. Again Fluttershy reached over and ruffled through the many boxes and suitcases strewn about her. Posey through her a few strained glances, her hands tight on the wheel and her eyes wide.

"Fluttershy, so help me, if you don't get that gps in two seconds..."

"Don't worry, Mom. I have it right here." She withdrew a tiny pink purse and unclasped it to find her phone. On the lock screen was her and Posey standing together, smiling up at her. "A gps, you say?" Flutters grinned. "And where would be your destination ma'am?"

Posey rolled her eyes but couldn't fight off the broad smile that pulled her lips. She slowed to a stop and spared her daughter a glance. Withdrawing a wide manila envelope, she waved it through the air and sang out, "Oatland University, Canterlot, Equestria."

The parking lot was around the corner of the university, straight between the main building and one of the learning centers. Dozens of cars piled up in the lot, leaving very little room for newcomers as the car pulled into a narrow space. Fresh tar laid black and warm beneath them. The autumn sun descended upon the building before them, whose large letters struck out in stark black from the pale brick side; Oatland University. Giddiness rose up in Fluttershy as she squeezed Angel's cage out of the window, with the little bunny and three other bags in tow. Stepping out away from the parking lot, she unfurled her soft yellow wings and stretched wide, gently securing Angel in his cage. Before her and her mother, the sidewalk curved around the building and ran across to the front; encapsulating a beautiful arrangement of flowers and shrubs that adorned the sides. Beautiful scarlets and lavenders surrounded by firewheels and tiger lilies. The garden brought a tear to Posey's eyes but it was the building itself that captured all of Fluttershy's attention. A massive wall of pale brick is what they faced, with levels of tall glass panels that split the sun's light back onto the sidewalk and reflected Fluttershy's grinning face as she dragged her bags along. Pre-orientation euphoria took hold over her and she dashed around to the front of the building. Welcome posters adorned every tree of the massive lawn area before the office. The sidewalk that struck from it reached a small intersection in the middle of the park and branched off in every direction. Each path was filled with grass and trees and small pocket gardens that lifted their sweet perfume and drifted steadily about the campus.

Fluttershy threw herself into the air with one strong stroke of her wings and flapped her way to the cross section. There she stood, her bags slipping from her shoulders and Angel loudly protesting from the floor, as she admired the main office of her university. This was it. Her chance to become something; her shot to... To...

She went rigid. A cold sweat broke out across her and she struck her hand through her rosy bangs. "I'm late for registration!" Wind filled her wings and she shoots forward, hastily collecting her things and stopping beside her mother. "I have to go, I'm late." She zips away, careening out in one tight loop to return and plant a quick kiss on Posey's flushed cheek. "I love you!"

Posey halts on the sidewalk and laughs, tossing her hand to the air. Her own pale yellow wings extend and she raises herself up. "Good luck!" Hand shooting through the air, she brings herself higher and higher. "Come home often. Don't forget to write!" One foot higher, then another, and her baby girl was gone. A smile broadened old Posey's face as she gently lighted back on her feet. The wind gusted around her, pulling at her tired pink hair and tugging her back to the car. She folded her wings against her and glanced around at the lonesome lawn. With a faint laugh, she turned away, brushing a tear from her cheek, and started back for her vehicle. "Go get 'em, Fluttershy," she whispers to the wind, "I believe in you."