Culture Shock

Equestria, the shining pinnacle of freedom and happiness. Ruled by two of the most gracious and powerful mares in the world, Celestia and Luna, the land has stood for over three-thousand years. Laws have been changed and altered, but the most important factor in the lives of most Equestrians is the freedom they are granted. A pony, or any living creature for that matter, has the right to do most anything they want short of hurting themselves or somepony else. A pony can go anywhere they want, walk to the store and buy things when they please, go on vacation, leave the country, take days off of work, etc.

But a mere two mountain ranges away, Northeast of the sparkling cities of Canterlot and over two mountain ranges, lay the Kingdom of Griffonia. It's formal name, the one that every living resident of the kingdom was forced to call it, is The Holy Empire of Griffonia. One may wonder why it has such a long, important and huffy-sounding title. The simplest answer that can be given isn't actually all that simple. The ruler of the country, the one Empress, is considered a god to the people. Although most everyone there would tell you truthfully that she was just a tyrant and absolutely insane, they wouldn't dare speak out.

Freedoms that ponies take for granted in Equestria are unheard of in Griffonia. If you wandered into a part of the city that you weren't permitted in, you'd be plucked, roasted and fed to dogs. Security in the Totalitarian country is tighter than any other. Those caught leaving the country without explicit permission from the Empress herself are executed on the spot. The measures taken to make sure nothing gets in or out of the country are unmatched. If not every griffon and pony would flee without a second thought. But the fear of what would happen to them keeps most of the populace in line.

Then there is her Holiness, the one griffon behind all of the control, the webs upon webs of insidious plots and counter-plots, the griffon that had single-clawedly take over the whole empire seven years ago. Although she is little more than a jealous brat, the Empress is nothing if not both a genius and a visionary. She is the one who turned her Empire into what it is today. She, in one night, transformed her whole country into a cage. In a bloody coup, she killed her aunt, every member of court and all of the previous Queen's personal guard. With all of them dead in their beds, and with the blood of her mother's sister dripping from her claws, the Empress sat on the throne and put on the crown, taking total control of her aunt's kingdom.

At the young age of seven she'd done all of that. And now she is fourteen, and most of her country is in misery. With her total control she has turned her country into a machine, pumping out weapons and mining more silver than imaginable. The personal comfort of the country is of minimal concern to her Holiness. Worker Unions are forbidden; the punishment being that every member be impaled and burned at the stake. Civil rights workers are lynched in public squares, their whole families gone from the world by the next day. Swaths of the population could die from plague and the Empress wouldn't care.

But one thing that she wouldn't ignore was outsiders. If a foreigner or an ambassador came into the country, the Empress would literally put her whole staff to work in preparation. She made the sovereign's life as lavish as possible, showering them with gifts, jewelry, and meals fit for royalty. She entertained them with the best performers she could find and then personally showed them her whole castle. But for every question asked about anything outside of her castle would be ignored. If one asked how the pay was for miners, she would scowl and disregard that pony or griffon, occasionally giving them a furious glare.

But some ponies are particularly curious about how her country's populace fare. Some ponies don't know how to take a hint, or know when they are in danger. Visitors like that, the ones that don't stop prying, are sometimes sent back to their home countries in a coffin, with a personal letter from the Empress that is was a 'Tragic Accident'. These 'Accidents' happen a lot more than one would expect. As a matter of fact, most countries have learned that if they wanted to keep their ambassadors, they would be wise to avoid the country altogether. Otherwise their representatives would be sent back the their families in a box.

"I want to go there." Twilight Sparkle demanded for the seventh time. "I have personally visited every country in the Western Hemisphere on your authority and now I want to visit this one."

"Twilight, " Celestia sighed, setting her quill down on her desk. "I've told you many times before and I'll tell you again, Griffonia isn't the type of place for you. I'd spend every day worrying about your safety. A lot of ponies that go there don't come back. You do know what it's like there, right?"

"It's a Totalitarian government, I know. But I'll be there as an ambassador. I'll be perfectly safe."

Celestia looked Twilight in a way that she hadn't since she was a foal. "That, young one, is where you are wrong. I have lost a total of ten representatives to that place and I won't let you of all ponies be lost too...  the stories I've heard are nothing short of gruesome."

"But Celestia I-"

"There is no argument to be had Twilight!"  The royal barked. "I will stand by what I said a week ago and that is absolutely final!"

The purple mare glared at her mentor, furious at being denied. "How about a favor." She said. "I'll personally tell you every detail of my trip on paper when I get back. I know you're curious about what happens inside Griffonia."

"Are you... bribing me?"

"I might be." Twilight started to perk up, seeing that she had a lead. "Everything I see, do or hear inside that castle will be written down on my report. Even about The Empress herself. How about that?"

"You know how to negotiate." Celestia mused. "That, and I would look forward to your report. I could let you go.. but alone, without a pony to accompany you or an escort? I'm just wondering if you're thinking of your own safety, Twilight. You're my star pupil, and if anything happened to you I fear what I would do out of grief."

"I swear that I'll read up on combative spells. But can I please go? I just want to meet the Empress, then come right back. I promise that I won't provoke anything! I've always wondered what life was like there and it's been a bit of a dream for a year now. Please Celestia?"

The Princess at this point had already changed her mind, but she wasn't about to let Twilight know that. She set her quill down and smiled to her, wondering what else she could eke out of her student.  "I don't know if you'd be able to stand under that much pressure..."

Twilight was putting her hooves together and looking at Celestia with huge, pleading eyes. "I'll even let you read my copy of 'Mischievous Mixtures and Maladies'!

That sealed the deal. Celestia expected the book on her desk by Friday, and then, and only then, could she go on her trip to Griffonia. She would send with her  two guards and a communication orb, and she would be fine. Twilight was the mare to keep out of trouble, and she was sure that The Empress would be hospitable towards such a kindhearted unicorn. If only the alicorn could see into the future and observe what would happen later that week. She might have reconsidered. Then again, she might not have.

Twilight Sparkle rushed home that evening, eager to get her affairs in order before she left on her journey. Conjuring a bag up to put her books and other study gear in, she ran all over her library, packing everything she'd need for her overdue vacation. It was past midnight and Spike was still awake, running off of coffee and energy drinks. He looked at how happy Twilight was, and the rush she was in, then promptly turned to go to bed. His job was done and he was tired.

"Spike! Guess what Princess Celestia finally let me do? Go ahead, guess!"

"Umm...." The young dragon's eyes were half-shut. "She let you read her personal diary?"

"No silly! She finally permitted me to go to Griffonia!"

The dragon turned and went upstairs, tripped on the top step, decided that the floor was more comfortable anyways, and fell asleep. Twilight packed well into the waking hours of the morning, cramming as many things as she could into her one rucksack. She couldn't wait to see Griffonia, the sparkling city and golden palace, the roads paved with silver and houses glinting with golden paneling. She could just picture it's majesty now....

Prologues... expositions and such. Difficult but they need to be done. Anyways, first fiction I've had in a while so if you'd leave a comment on how I did that would be great.