private A Cultural Exchange 1x1 with MidnightMadness1

[Illiad Easle 3,128]

This thread has been closed for inactivity. The contents are preserved below.

 

OOC thread: https://mlpforums.com/topic/141510-a-cultural-exchange/

@@MidnightMadness1

 

Though Swift Message handled hundreds of letters every day, rarely did he receive any letters of his own. It was even more rare that he had the opportunity to write one. The flyers he had delivered around town had intrigued him, and he decided that participation would be a good way to see the world and hopefully make a new friend. He submitted his description and was paired with another pegasus living in Canterlot. He was given her address and instructed to introduce himself via letter. With a smile on his face he quickly wrote out a letter, hoping to make a worthwhile first impression.

 

Good evening Miss Madness,

 

My name is Swift Message and I was selected to be your pairing in the cultural exchange. To tell you a bit about myself, I am a 20 year old pegasus living in Deltrot, Troy. I have a greyish coat and a short silver mane and tail. My mark is a letter with a letter opener and I deliver the mail to a full third of the town. In my job I sometimes have to make delivery runs through the desert and thus I am experienced in close quarters combat in that I have had to defend myself against the local bandits and the occasional sand scorpion. I look forward to hearing about you and I can't wait to show you around.

 

-Swift Message

 

With the letter taken care of he ensured that it would go out on the next mail run to Equestria. He went back to his life, eagerly awaiting a response.

 

(You receive a notification from the Cultural Exchange program stating your acceptance and informing you that you have been paired with Swift Message, a 20 year old Pegasus in the neighboring nation of Troy, it instructs you to watch for a letter from him and to respond in kind when it arrives. You receive Swift's letter the very next day.)(Questions can be asked in quotations or in the OOC thread)

Edited December 22, 2015 by Illiad Easle

[MidnightMadness1 105]

Midnight was sitting on her couch when she hears a knocking at the door. Midnight proceeds to answer the door to be greeted by the mailpony who gives her a letter and flies off without a word. Midnight opens the letter after sitting down on the couch to find out the cultural exchange had started and she had been paired up with another pegasus. Midnight grins and takes one of her own pegasus quills and writes into a gold quilted parchment.

 

Greetings Swift Message,

 

As you already know my name is Midnight Madness so I will just explain my other features, I am a pegasus with black fur and a white mane while my tail is white with a black streak through it. I also have batpony heritage and so I have the eyes of with and also have a singular fang. Finally about myself, my cutie mark is a puzzle piece with a sword engraved into it. My work placement is mercenary work and I have become extremely skilled in the art of swordsmanship. I also can not wait for you next message and to show you Canterlot and Equestria.

 

Signed Midnight Madness

Edited November 10, 2015 by MidnightMadness1

[Illiad Easle 3,128]

@@MidnightMadness1,

 

When Swift noticed he had a letter addressed to himself he was excited to finish his shift so he could read it and respond.

 

Miss Madness,

 

Your thestral (that's what we call batponys here) heritage is quite intriguing to me. You wouldn't happen to be a decendent of the Fastar clan now would you? Regardless, your eyes will be quite useful when you visit as this entire town is mostly nocturnal. Mostly it's due to the fact that it gets really hot here during the day and it is much cooler at night. As a mercenary you must have some interesting experiences, likely better then any of my encounters with the bandits. I know of a few trade caravans who would pay handsomely for someone of your skills to protect them. I must ask though, were you in Canterlot when that changeling hive invaded? Oh, it just occurred to me. Isn't mercenary work an odd occupation for someone living in Equestria, much less Canterlot? Anyway, I'm sure you'll like it here when you visit. I'm told you can arrange for the exchange to begin whenever you're ready.

 

-Swift Message

[MidnightMadness1 105]

Midnight collected the post and finds one addressed to her and after reading proceeds to write one back.

 

Dear Swift Message,

 

I thank you for responding to me so quickly and you are quite the curious one to say the least... T o answer you questions, no I don't believe that I am their descendent from what I heard from the family is that my great grandmother was saved by one and the two started a relationship but after two months he disappeared  leaving my great grandmother pregnant. And don't get me started about those bloody changelings there were thousands and they managed to break a family heirloom of mine and to say the least any whom entered my house left in a bag. Finally, I realise from any other nation that it might seem strange for us mercenaries to be lurking around Equestria but do remember we are having constant attacks from normal and godlike creatures such as Discord and Tirak as well as the previously named changelings and this has caused us mercs to be in constant demand.

I am ready right now for the exchange I have my bags packed and have canceled all jobs for the future. I look forward to seeing you.

 

Signed Midnight Madness

[Illiad Easle 3,128]

@@MidnightMadness1,

 

Swift noticed there was a letter addressed to him as he was sorting the mail. Usually he would wait until he got home to read it but he decided to read it then. This turned out to be the best course of action as he was already at the office to arrange for days off. He wrote his reply in time for it to go out with the rest of the day's Equestrian mail.

 

Miss Madness,

 

 I must admit I am surprised by your eagerness to experience the culture of my town, most Equestrians are less than eager to leave the comfort of Equestria to travel to 'lesser nations' as I'm told. Believe me though, there is a good chance everything you have heard about Troy from an Equestrian is not entirely true. I know Equestria isn't perfect and mercenary work would be needed, I just didn't realize that your Princess would allow such an occupation in her world. You'd think she wants mercenaries like you gone with how hard she makes it to move weapons into Equestria, or any mail for that matter. (Personally I don't think she's forgiven us for declaring our independence from Equestria) As to your thestral ancestor, given the circumstances it is highly unlikely to have been a Fastar, they're fiercely loyal and would never abandon someone they care about. On the subject of changelings, I heard the ones that attacked Canterlot had been starving for a month or two before they attacked, if you killed them quickly it would really have been a mercy to them, I can't imagine what it must have been like for them. On a different note, I've managed to get an entire week off to see what Equestria is really all about, and for most of the week that you will be here. However, I still have to do my mail route on two of the days, but it will be a great way to show you around town. 

Now the more complicated part. As the Equestrian government (your princess) does not recognize Troy as an independent nation it is often difficult for Equestrians to get here. (Most ponies don't even know this place exists. I've heard your maps only show an empty desert.) You'll need to take the train down to Dodge JCT where you can use the train ticket I've included in this letter. Just give it to the ticket master and he'll give you a normal ticket for the next train to Deltrot. You'll have to pass through customs at Troy but so long as you don't have any poisons, antimagic, or invasive plants they should let you through fine. Oh, you should bring a cloak, a warm one that covers your coat. It gets a bit cold here when the moon rises and it will keep the sand out. I will meet you after customs in Troy and ride with you to Deltrot, I hope you'll enjoy your trip.

 

-Swift Message

 

He included the train ticket with the envelope, then set off home to clean up his house in preparation for a guest.

[MidnightMadness1 105]

Midnight Madness takes the envelope and opens it. After a few moment she grins and takes her bag and writes to a few smugglers to have some special packages brought to Troy .

Midnight gets of the train and pulls her capes up to her neck. Midnight gives her bag to the border patrol along with her passport and then walks through the gate and grabs the package from the locker which she had been given the number too and then sat on the bench and waits for Swift message.

[Illiad Easle 3,128]

@@MidnightMadness1,

 

Swift realized he probably should have met her before customs as after customs was a bit vague. Eventually he found a mare that matched the description he had been given. With a slight smile on his face he approached. "Excuse me miss, You wouldn't happen to be named Midnight Madness would you?" Swift was wearing a sort of white layered robe which had holes for his wings and tail.

 

He noticed the telltale signs that the package with her had been secretly inspected, Troy paid well to keep the flow of smuggled goods one way. Anything that would have violated customs would have been replaced with a claim ticket at this point.

Edited November 27, 2015 by Illiad Easle

[MidnightMadness1 105]

@@Illiad Easle, Midnight looks up to see a pony standing over her and give him a look down to see a pegasus wearing a robe. Midnight then replies to his question "Yes I am, I would also presume that your Swift Message. It's nice to finally meet you!." Midnight Picks up her luggage and package with ease while sorting out her top hat and cape. " Onwards to Deltrot I guess, Should I buy the tickets? By the way is the currency the same here because I have brought some bits.

[Illiad Easle 3,128]

@@MidnightMadness1,

 

Swift was surprised to see than Midnight was so ready to pay her own way. He wasn't exactly hurting for money as his needs were relatively cheep and he had been pulling a few more shifts in advance to have a bit more funds available.

 

"Equestrian bits will work just fine here, few places wont accept them and in that case Trojan dollars are not hard to acquire. Now, there are two ways we can get to Deltrot. We can take the train, which is fast but not too scenic. Or we can fly there, there are some great currents headed that way for the next hour or so, if we put your luggage on the train it will be waiting for us when we arrive."