"I've done it! After decades of research, I've finally created a portal to an alternate dimension!" The ecstatic scientist danced about a rather large machine, whooping and hollering all the while.

"Seriously? You truly think it will work this time, Professor Baxter?" You ask your professor. Having studied under Professor Baxter these past several years and witnessed countless failed tests, you are a bit skeptical of the old professor’s claims.

"Yes! I'm sure off it this time. The math is flawless. Well... As close to flawless as it can be, I mean." He corrects himself.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You ask, a hint of concern permeates your voice.

Professor Baxter strokes his snow white beard. "Well, let’s put it this way, if you remember the results of our last test, I'm 95% certain that won't happen again."

"But Professor, the last thing we sent through just came out the other side... AS A PILE OF ASHES!"

Professor Baxter furrows his brow. "Oh, pish posh! What are a few minor losses in the name of science? It got us this far, didn’t it?"

You roll your eyes and bring your palm up to your face with an audible slap.

Professor Baxter checks over several monitors which were hooked up to the large, glowing contraption. “Everything seems to be running perfectly. I think it’s time for our final test.” The Professor gives you a look.

You sense a feeling of impending doom under his gaze. You try to gulp down some of your unease, but to no avail. “Sir, you can’t mean me?”

Professor Baxter takes a few steps toward you. “Oh come now. It’s perfectly safe.” He says as he reaches out to grab your arm.

You quickly move away from him and dash to the other side of the room. “Well if it’s so safe then why don’t you go through?” You retort, barricading yourself behind a table covered in documents.

“Because if something were to go wrong, someone would need to be here to document it for science! I’m the only one who truly knows how this machine works, so it’s only logical that I would be the one to stay behind.” Comes the reply as he once again makes his way to you.

You flip the table over, sending papers flying through the air. “You’re mad!” You shout as you try to evade the professor.

“If it’s crazy to want to better humanity through the power of science then I must be insane!” He laughs as he finally grabs hold of the lapel of your lab coat. Despite him being far older than you, he is stronger than you thought him to be. “Come on, then. If something were to go wrong I would personally see to it that you were among the lucky few who aided in this discovery. Your name will be remembered for generations.” He splutters as he drags you over to the glowing energy field.

You’re attempts at freeing yourself prove to be futile. Your nose almost collides with his as he pulls you up close to him. He speaks to you softer now. “If you come back, be sure to bring plenty of samples with you.” He pats your face before pushing you through the portal. You’re suddenly surrounded by white light and you feel yourself being propelled for what seems like an eternity to some unknown destination at unimaginable speeds.

Before you even realize it, you’re lying on your back, staring up at a clear blue sky. Still slightly dazed by your bizarre experience, you clamber to your feet and brush the dust off of your white lab coat. You notice the portal was still there, though something was different. You are puzzled to find that instead of metal and cables, the portal was surrounded by an elegant stone arch embedded into a brick wall, which surrounds a courtyard of stone and with pools of water which sit on either side of you. Beyond the wall is what seems to be an oddly colorful city. You turn around to get a better idea of where you are. What you find puzzles you even more. Standing right in front of you are two horse-like creatures. One of which seemed to tower over you. The other was much shorter, but no less intimidating. Both of them were staring at you. You feel as if their gaze pierces straight through you. The tallest has a coat of the purest white you have ever seen. Its colorful mane is long and seems to gracefully flow in an undetectable breeze. The other has a coat of deep midnight blue and a mane of what looks to consist of a piece of the night sky. You also note that both posses a pair of majestic wings and a long horn positioned in the center of each of their foreheads. You are caught off guard as one of them speaks to you in a soft, melodic voice. “Greetings stranger. Welcome to Equestria.”